IT was in June  It was in June, 1940, that Mrs. Scott passed away leaving a husband and four sons. Mr. Scott said he could continue his work and care for the two older sons but not for Ken and Will who were only six and four years old, so he requested foster care for them.

The boys were placed in the foster home of Mr. and Mrs. David Lawrence of Jefferson. As usual, they were seen by a doctor the second day they were there to be certain of their health and alertness. The Lawrences took the boys to Dr. Joseph Duell, who ran a small hospital in Jefferson, had office hours and made house calls. Both boys were fine and entered school in Jefferson the following day.

Their lives were relatively uneventful until one day nearly a year later when Mrs. Lawrence called to say Ken was quite ill and should be seen by a doctor. She had called Dr. Duell who said it was “possibly a little cold” so we were asked to call the doctor and ask him to come to the Lawrence home and examine Ken. About two hours later Dr. Duell called to say Ken had a very serious case of rheumatic fever and his heart was involved. This meant Ken had to have complete bed rest. Both Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence offered their services in carrying Ken from bed to table and the bathroom as necessary. Will brought his brother’s assignments from school so Ken could continue his studies.    An X ray showed Ken’s heart to be nearly twice the size it should have been so everyone was willing to help Ken any way he needed. It was a very long year for Ken and Will, as it was for the Lawrences. Once it was past and Ken could once again walk to and from school, they were all happier.

The following summer they took a long trip. Mr. Lawrence was a professor at Hartwick College, Oneonta, so he had a month’s vacation every summer and the family traveled. By the time Ken and Will were grown they has been in every state but four.

Mr. Scott visited Ken and Will from time to time and was pleased with their progress.

The grave trouble Ken had with his heart ended in just a heart murmur which would keep him from entering the armed services.

For years, Will had called his brother “old Ken.” After high school Ken went to IBM at Kingston where he could earn as he learned. The last we heard from him, he was engaged to be married.

Will joined the Marines and went about the county with two other Marines giving talks and demonstrations.